1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus in which an exchange unit is exchangeably mounted on a main body thereof.
2. Background Art
An image forming apparatus adapted to allow a user to easily exchange a unit containing consumables or the like has been known.
Meanwhile, in a case where the unit exchanged by the user is other than genuine ones produced by an original manufacturer of the image forming apparatus, the following problems may occur. That is, the capability of the image forming apparatus cannot fully be exerted. For example, the quality of picture is degraded. Proper operations cannot be ensured. Alternatively, a failure occurs. This is because the image forming apparatus controls the process of forming images in view of characteristics of toners, those of an image carrier, charging characteristics, cleaning characteristics, and fixation characteristics.
Thus, to maintain the quality of picture of an image forming apparatus and to prevent occurrence of the problems, JP-A-10-133528 discloses a method of providing in a genuine exchange part a data carrier for holding consumed amount data and discriminating whether or not the consumable is supplied to the genuine exchange part.
Further, JP-A-6-149051 discloses the techniques of providing in a toner cartridge a storage unit for storing predetermined code data and of inhibiting, when a main body of a copier cannot read predetermined code data from the storage unit, from copying.
Furthermore, JP-A-2001-100598 discloses a method of performing an alarm display and inhibition of printing when empty information written to a cartridge at the detection of a run-out of toner is read from a cartridge.
Also, Japanese Patent No. 2602341 discloses a method of storing the count of generated images in a memory of a cartridge and of making, when a preset termination count representing the number of images, which can be generated by using the cartridge, is equal to the count of generated images, the cartridge unusable thereafter.
Additionally, Japanese Patent No. 3476704 discloses a method of facilitating the detection of nonconformity of a toner replenishment container by setting image forming conditions, which are deteriorated as compared with proper image forming conditions, in a case where it is detected by two-way communication between a container-side communication unit of the toner replenishment container and a main-body-side communication unit of the main body of the apparatus that the toner replenishment container is inadequate, and where it is selected by a selection input unit that a replenishing operation is continued by ignoring the nonconformity of the toner replenishment container.